just curious, whay qualifies to be an "indie movie"
where can you find some - saaaay in glasgow or edinburgh?

and what do they say/mean/spell out to you?
any definitive ones i need to watch - or any events that will help me get into them in above destinations?

Well Indies are ones not made by the big film studios. Although some are picked up by them later on.

Most commonly on fairly small budgets.

First one that springs to mind right now is Clerks. Personal favourite of mine too.

Will try and think on this a little more when i shake off work weariness.

http://www.imdb.com/chart/independent

imdb throws up many films that wouldn't have really struck me as Indie, so it's an interesting read.

Some great films on there too.

There's some really good Indie films coming out of Scandinavia and Iceland last few years.

A couple that I can recommend are 'Elling' about 2 guys just released from a mental institution after years, trying to come to terms with everyday, outside life (such as using a telephone! women, money, bills etc) Very funny, touching movie

The other 'Pslamer fra Kjokkenet (prayers/hymns from the kitchen) about an IKEA-ish company in the 60s that plants observers in the houses of single males to see what their regular routines and habits are. Does the observer influence the observed? Funny movie that is being used across Scandinavian Universities as a classic study in scoial science!

um, don't get me started on Icelandic movies. I can go on for years

101 Reykjavik for starters is a must see, and I recommend it to ANYONE interested in a good story.
But there are also dreadful one's A little trip to heaven springs to mind.